George yanked the blanket off Emily and barked, “Up!” Emily shielded herself with her arms and blinked in confusion

She looked at the other side of the bed—Matt was already gone.

---

In the living room, the whole family awaited her.

“Sit!” George commanded, pointing to a spot next to Matt.

“Why are you talking to me like a dog?” Emily tried to protest.

Her new husband pulled her down, whispering urgently, “Not now.”

“Emily, you’re in my house now, so you follow my rules,” George began.

One: Lights out at 10:00 p.m., up at 6:00 a.m. weekdays, 7:30 weekends.

Two: Everyone has chores; you’ll cook breakfast for all every morning.

Three: We eat as a family; no solo meals or snacking allowed.

Four: You contribute 30% of your salary to the household.

Five: Leave your room fully dressed and groomed each morning.

Six: If my wife needs help and you’re home, you assist.

Seven: You get two hours of free time—one morning, one evening.

Eight: You must exercise; I’ll oversee your workouts initially.

Nine: If you have a child, we’ll do a DNA test.

Ten: My orders are followed immediately.

Emily looked at the family, hoping for smiles and a “just kidding.”..